Retirees organize to protect Medicare and Social Security

[RyanPsych]

SOUTHINGTON, Conn. - Retirees were called to action during the recent Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans convention when Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., urged the delegates to stand firm in the face of attempts by the Republican-controlled Congress to cut and privatize Medicare and Social Security.

Affirming that the Social Security fund is not in financial trouble now, Murphy said that if the cap on Social Security taxes on high incomes was raised, the solvency of the fund would be secured for the future.

Murphy is a candidate for U.S. Senate to fill the seat being vacated by Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., in 2012. Lieberman's pro-retiree voting record was only 50 percent in 2010 according to the ARA. Widespread anger greeted the recent proposal by Lieberman and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., to raise the age for Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67.

Murphy also called for public investments in infrastructure to create jobs, noting that this would strengthen the whole economy and stimulate jobs in the private sector as well. John Olsen, president of the Connecticut AFL CIO, called on ARA members to play a part in developing young leaders in the labor movement. He told the retirees to be vocal about the struggles they waged, the benefits they won and their outrage that these could be lost.

continue at: http://www.peoplesworld.org/retirees-mobilize-to-defend-social-security-medicare/

[denverbill]

1. Sounds like a promising candidate to replace Lieberman.n/t

[tcaudilllg]

2. A true leader in the state. Need some of those in the South... yep.

[cutlassmama]

3. sounds like a good replacement

[LiberalEsto]

4. Link for Alliance for Retired Americans

http://www.retiredamericans.org/